Begonia plant named Scentiment Yellow

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of begonia plant named Scentiment Yellow, characterized by its fully double and symmetrical male flowers and single female flowers, rich solid yellow main flower color, distinct fragrance, and its plant habit full and pendulous with numerous flowering shoots.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar ofbegonia plant, botanically known as begonia Tuberhybrida pendula, andknown by the cultivar name Scentiment Yellow.

The new cultivar was discovered by the inventor Andrew B. Snow as amutation of the begonia cultivar named Golden Anniversary, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,569. The mutation was observed in a group of15,000 field-planted cloned plants of the parent cultivar undercultivated growth at Watsonville, Calif.

Subsequent asexual reproduction by leaf cuttings by the inventor hasestablished that the unique features of the new cultivar are producedthrough successive propagations at the above noted location.

The following characteristics distinguish the new begonia from both itsparent and other begonias commercially known and used in thefloriculture industry:

1. The flowers have a definite and distinct fragrance that can bedescribed as gently sweet but not overpowering. It is often compared tothe scent of a fragrant rose bloom. The fragrance is most pronouncedwhen the temperature is between 70° and 80° F.

2. The male flowers are fully double and symmetrical, and do not producepollen or visible male reproductive parts under normal growingconditions. Female flowers are single.

3. The flower color is a rich solid yellow, with the back of theexterior petals being tinged with red, especially when grown under highlight.

4. The plant habit is full and pendulous with numerous flowering shoots(5-6 or more). Each flowering shoot will produce anywhere from 4-5peduncles with 1 or 2 male flowers on each during the course of agrowing season.

There are no begonia cultivars with which the new cultivar can bemeaningfully compared. The brilliant yellow flower color, the fullsymmetrical double male flowers and the distinct fragrance combine todescribe a unique begonia.

The accompanying colored photographs taken Sep. 20, 1991 illustrate theoverall appearances of the new cultivar when grown in a 10" plastic pot.The top photograph is a side view of a mature flowering plant ofScentiment Yellow. The bottom photograph comprises an enlarged showingof the top sides and underside of typical male and female flowers. Thecolors illustrated are as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain incolored reproductions of this type.

The following is a detailed description of my new begonia cultivar basedon plants produced under commercial practices in Watsonville, Calif.Color references are made to the Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused.

Parentage: Mutation of begonia cultivar Golden Anniversary.

Propagation:

A. Type cutting.--Leaf cuttings.

B. Time to root.--24-30 days at 21° C. summer; 32-38 days at 21° C.winter.

C. Rooting habit.--Abundant, fibrous, dendritic.

D. Time for shoot development.--Slow; 10-14 weeks in summer and up to 16weeks in winter. Shoot count is medium to high in summer and less inwinter.

Plant description:

A. Form.--Low, mounding, pendulous; herbaceous.

B. Habit of growth.--Slow, uniform with numerous shoots and goodbranching habit. At full growth the plant is well rounded andapproximately 18-24 inches both in height and width, with pendulousflowering shoots.

C. Foliage.--Simple, alternate, and borne on semi-rigid 6-8 inchpetioles. 1. Size: At maturity, the leaves reach 10-12 inches from baseto apex, and at their widest point the leaves are up to 7" across. 2.Shape: Broad-ovate, obliquely cordate, broadly acuminate with roundedbasal lobes. 3. Texture: Firm, crisp, but not brittle; hirtellous onboth surfaces with a ciliate tendency on bottom surface. 4. Margin:Doubly serrate. 5. Color: Young foliage, top side: slightly darker than143A; under side: 147C. Mature foliage, top side 146A and B; under side:147C. 6. Venation: Reticulate.

Flowering description:

A. Flowering habits.--Flowering is presented on a semi-pendulous raceme.Often, but not always, secondary male and female flowers will developbelow the primary flowers. Some peduncles will have a solitary maleflower with a solitary female flower, while others may have two matchingfemale flowers per male.

B. Natural flowering season.--Natural flowering occurs in the summer andfall months.

C. Flower buds.--Flat, nearly round, tending toward bell shaped.

D. Flowers borne.--On small pedicels originating from long (71/2" to81/2") axillary peduncles, resulting in one male flower with one or twofemale flowers, and occasionally a secondary male and female flower asraceme develops.

E. Quantity.--Flowering ranges from 2-5 flowers per peduncle andnumerous (3-5) peduncles per shoot, with 4-6 shoots per plant.

F. Tepals.--1. Shape: Oval to tear drop shaped. 2. Color: Top side inspring/summer when opening is yellow 14C with orange 14B at the center;underside is orange 27C at the center fading to almost white at theedge. The outermost petals are tinged light rose 49C on the back,especially when grown in high light. 3. Number of tepals: 45-46 on maleflowers, 5 on female flowers. 4. Size of tepals: Outer (male), up to23/4"×23/4", inner 3/8"×3/8"; 11/2"×13/4" to 15/8"×2" (female). 5.Flower size: Male, 5"×5"; female, 4"×4".

G. Reproductive organs.--1. Stamens: None. 2. Pistils: a. Stigma: Shape,multi-lobed, color 15A. b. Style color: 15A. C. Ovaries: Three innumber, syncarpous; 3/8" to 5/8" in total size; pale green (142C) incolor with sheen on exterior.

Disease resistance: Scentiment Yellow has shown excellent diseaseresistance to date.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of begonia plant namedScentiment Yellow, as illustrated and described.